PhD / Post Doctoral Opportunities

Paediatric Communication Laboratory

Lab Director: Deryk Beal

Our research focuses on improving outcomes and quality of life for children with acquired and developmental neuro communication disorders. We study the neurobiology of communication and its disorders for the express purpose of innovating and evaluating neurorehabilitation treatments for children with communication disorders. We work to advance neuroimaging techniques (fMRI, DTI, DKI, QSM, MEG, EEG, fNIRS) for the study of the neural network supporting language, speech and oral motor control and the identification of appropriate neural targets for rehabilitation.

Funding is available for a graduate student (M.Sc. or Ph.D. degrees) interested in the area of neuroimaging of motor learning in both children who are typically developing and those with developmental disorders. Post-doctoral opportunities may also be available. Please contact Dr. Beal for more information and/or to apply to be a graduate trainee in his lab.

Speech-Production Lab

Lab Director: Yana Yunosova

Our research laboratory is dedicated to studying various aspects of speech production in healthy talkers and talkers with various speech disorders. We believe that studying how people produce speech is crucial as speaking is the most essential form of human communication. Losing the ability to speak has tremendous negative effect on quality of life of affected individuals and their families. Our mission is to develop through rigorous research new techniques for diagnosis and treatment of motor speech disorders.

Funding is available for a graduate student (M.Sc. or Ph.D. degrees) interested in the area of motor learning in healthy and disordered populations. Please contact  Dr. Yunusova  for more information on the program.

Voice Resonance Lab

Lab Director: Tim Bressmann

Research in the Voice and Resonance Lab is dedicated to speech disorders that are related to structural defects or malformations of the vocal tract. In particular, we are interested in:

  • Speech disorders related to head and neck cancer
  • Speech disorders related to craniofacial syndromes such as cleft lip and palate
  • Speech disorders related to dentition and occlusion
  • Voice disorders

Interested in working in the Voice and Resonance Laboratory?

We are always interested in hearing from potential M.Sc. and Ph.D. students!

Please contact Tim Bressmann if you would like to conduct research or volunteer in our lab.

Oral Dynamics Lab

Lab Director: Pascal van Lieshout

The ODL is a specialized facility for research in the area of oral motor control. The research in the ODL concentrates on speech and swallowing behaviours in normal and disordered populations, including stroke patients with aphasia and verbal apraxia, people who stutter and individuals suffering from Parkinson’s disease.  Concepts and tools of non-linear dynamical system theories are used to study motor coordination skills and learning at different levels. In particular, the focus is on different types of constraints that act upon the oral motor system (e.g., linguistic structure, task familiarity) in the way they shape the nature and stability of the dynamic coupling between articulators like tongue, lips and jaw. A better understanding of this relationship will provide new insights in the origin of speech and swallowing problems, which will support the development of improved assessment and rehabilitation techniques for these patients. A second line of research in the lab is dedicated to the development of new oral rehabilitation tools that support diagnosis and treatment of speech and voice disorders.

For students interested in a research position (M.Sc. or Ph.D.), please contact Dr. van Lieshout for more information.